The Sexual Economy of War

The book is a fascinating look into turn-of-the-century military culture.

~Choice

Working confidently across military history and the history of sexuality, Byers digs deeply into files from courts-martial and other sources from the National Archives to explore the centrality of managing sexuality to the successful operation of a modern military. The Sexual Economy of War should be read by anyone interested in apprehending the history of sexuality specific to the US Army.

~Journal of Military History

Andrew Byers presents a comprehensive study of how the U.S. Army perceived and sought to regulate its soldiers' sexuality and sexual experiences in the early half of the twentieth century. [A] provocative book.

~The Journal of American History

Through his wide scope and careful research, Byers presents an argument that will capture the attention of military historians and historians of US foreign relations. [The book's] case studies and conclusions provide a fruitful perspective on the military's complicated relationship to human sexuality.

~The US Army War College Quarterly

One of the strengths of the book is Byers's work in grounding his analysis within the social, political, economic, cultural, and moral attitudes of the periods he examines. The breadth of his sources and source analysis also aids in the quality of his work. An admirable aspect of his source analysis is his open acknowledgment of their limitations, errors, or even biases. The Sexual Economy of War provides a new and insightful view into how the army saw itself on an international stage and regulated soldiers' sexuality in response to its new place in the world.

~H-War

The Sexual Economy of War provides a new and insightful view into how the army saw itself on an international stage and regulated soldiers' sexuality in response to its new place in the world.

~H-Net